


Test Run

by yuletide_archivist



Category: The Chronicles of Riddick Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-23
Updated: 2007-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-25 06:31:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,992
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1636559
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yuletide_archivist/pseuds/yuletide_archivist
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After six years away, Riddick finally comes back for Jack. AU.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Test Run

**Author's Note:**

> Written for prairiestar

 

 

Jack walked the streets of New Mecca, heading back to the Imam's home in the university district. His body sang with the sense memory of the hours he'd just spent in Starfist training. Developed after interstellar travel became the norm, Starfist was equally effective with or without gravity. That day, they'd practised in the null gravity chamber, leaving him with a heaviness in his muscles that he relished as it made him feel alive. He'd discovered the fighting style within months of his arrival on Helion Prime, when he'd been twelve and angry and determined to learn how to defend himself in ways other than hiding. It had been just over five years since he'd found a group willing to teach him, and he hadn't looked back. 

He passed a window and caught a quick glimpse of himself in the tunic he'd changed into after training and the baggy black pants of his gi hanging loosely over his compact, muscular frame. He noticed his hair had gotten long and made a mental note to ask Lajjun to help him trim it. His hand went to his chin and briefly stroked his trim-but-full beard. It had started to grow almost immediately after he'd begun taking hormones a year before when he'd turned seventeen. It was still strange to see himself this way, not because his face looked unfamiliar, but because after so many years, he finally recognized himself in his reflection.

It wasn't long before he reached his destination and stepped up to the door. He'd already put the key in the lock before he noticed that the door was open a crack, alerting him that something wasn't right. His thoughts immediately turned to Lajjun and Ziza, who would be home alone at that time of day. His hand went to the back of his right hip to check the sheathed knife that hung there as he crossed the threshold, prepared to fight if necessary. 

It was dim in the house. The heavy drapes on the windows were closed, and none of the lights were on. He did a quick visual sweep of the parts of the house he could see from the foyer as his eyes adjusted. He noted Ziza sitting crouched on the second level of the house and willed her to stay quiet as he followed her eyes to a figure leaning against the wall at the foot of the stairs. In an instant, six years fell away.

"Riddick," Jack said.

"Riddick?" Ziza asked, practically sticking her head through the ornate railing of the landing. "The one who killed the monsters?"

Even in the low light, Jack saw Riddick's eyebrow go up and his head tilt in all-too-familiar sardonic inquiry.

Jack's head turned to the girl as Ziza spoke again, this time directly addressing Riddick. "Did you really kill monsters like Jack said?"

The corner of Jack's mouth turned up in a grin. "Yes he did," Jack said. "Saved your dad and me." His smile fell away. "Then he left." He paused then said, "Go get your mother. She'd want to know that a strange man's in the house."

Both men watched the girl run down the hall, then turned back to each other.

"I'm a strange man now?" Riddick asked.

"To them, you are."

"What about you?"

"I've lived here since before she and Imam got married. She's okay with me."

"That's not what I meant."

"I know," Jack said. Then, without hesitation, "Wherever you're going, I'm coming with you." 

"You have a life here," Riddick said. "A home. You come with me, there's no returning to this."

"Imam and his family have been good to me, but this isn't where I belong. I'm coming with you." His tone left no room for disagreement.

Jack wished he could see Riddick's eyes behind his dark goggles as he regarded Jack with a lazy, sweeping gaze that caused a slow heat to rise in him. The moment seemed to stretch forever, giving Jack the time to truly take in the powerfully built man. He still shaved his head, Jack noted, and, under the cloak he held open with his hands on his hips, still wore clothes that allowed him efficiency of movement. No, not much had changed about him at all, except that he looked weathered somehow. Jack didn't know if that observation was more about Riddick or himself, though he realized it was likely a little of both. 

They continued to watch each other until Riddick nodded once, and Jack shivered with the recognition that he was finally going home.

\---

Once the decision for Jack to leave with Riddick had been made, everything had moved quickly, and Jack soon found himself in his room packing his few belongings into a duffle bag while Lajjun and Ziza sat with him. From the time she'd been told Riddick had arrived, Lajjun had been more tense than Jack had ever seen her. She held her daughter close, watching Jack but not saying anything. It was quiet enough that they could all hear Imam and Riddick talking in low, strident tones in the hallway.

"If any ill befalls him..." Imam said before Riddick interrupted him saying, "I'll take care of him, holy man."

"Inshah Allah, Riddick. It is a heavy thing to have on your conscience when someone in your care comes to harm."

Jack knew he was referring to the three boys whom Imam had been escorting on pilgrimage when they'd died on the dark planet. It occurred to him that he wasn't much older than they had been then when they'd all faced horror only he, Imam, and Riddick had survived.

"Do you have to go?" Ziza asked him when he finished packing. 

"Yeah, Zee, I do," Jack said.

"Will you ever come back?" the five-year-old asked, and Jack smiled, promising, "You'll see me again."

"See to it that we do," Lajjun said hugging him closely. "You are family, Jack, and you are always welcome here. Never forget that."

\---

Jack sat in the co-pilot's seat of Riddick's shuttle watching him prepare for, then initiate the launch. He hadn't been off world since he'd arrived on Helion Prime, and he delighted in the sensory onslaught that came with space travel. He felt the increased gravity of takeoff pressing his body into the seat before the moment of release when they reached open space and the artificial gravity and inertial dampening kicked in. They had flown from the night side of the planet, and the stars were shifting pinpricks of light, no longer twinkling in the absence of an atmosphere. Closer lights traced patterns around them as commercial and defense vehicles flew in their crisscrossed travel routes.

"Why'd you come back, Riddick?" Jack asked once they were well on their way.

"He speaks!" Riddick said. "You know, you used to be quite the chatterbox. The silent thing suits you."

"You didn't answer my question," Jack said.

"I had my reasons," Riddick replied.

"That's not much of an answer."

"But it's the answer you're gonna get," Riddick said. "I have a question for you: What would you have done if I hadn't come back?"

"Come to find you," Jack said. "Would have done it sooner but Imam made me promise I wouldn't leave until I was eighteen."

"Funny, "Riddick said. "He had me promise to come check on you when you, 'came of age.' Seemed to think you'd come looking for me. Of course, he was bit conflicted about that. Seemed to think I was a bad influence."

"Where are we going?" Jack asked.

"You're only now asking for a flight plan?" Riddick said.

"You gonna give me shit for every question I ask?"

"You keep asking a bunch of questions, then yeah. I am."

Jack laughed then again asked, "Where are we going?"

"Hope you've had all your shots, kid," Riddick said, "'cuz we're heading for the Sticks--sub-planet Terminus. Every wannabe hotshot looking to make a payday or a name's gonna be gunning for me. I'd just as soon avoid the inconvenience."

"They think you're dead," Jack said. "You don't need to..."

"Won't stay that way for long. I've probably already popped up on the grid somewhere. You can do that without even trying. I spent the past six years cooling my heels on a hunk of ice. Whatever adventures you dreamed up in that head of yours, something tells me it wasn't sitting around contemplating the universe."

Jack didn't say what he was thinking, which was that he would have been fine with that if he could have been with Riddick for the past six years. Instead, he said, "So what's in the Sticks besides a bunch of nothing?"

"It's what's not there that matters," Riddick said. "No government, no corporations, and no mercs."

\---

The bar was nothing like anything Jack had ever seen. Carved right out of a rock face, it was crowded, loud, and dirty. Everything thrummed with an undercurrent of intrigue. In general, New Mecca didn't have bars, though there were a few in non-Islamic enclaves at the edges of the city. These were sedate affairs, though, and unlike this one, they weren't permeated with what he could only describe as an energy that spoke of secrets and of needing to watch his step. Jack felt one side of his mouth turn up in spite of himself. His smirk turned into a full-on smile when Riddick said, "I think he likes it."

"What are we doing here, Riddick?" Jack asked.

"Believe it or not, they have the best bourbon in ten parsecs in this dive."

Jack looked at Riddick and rolled his eyes.

"We're here to get work," Riddick said. Then, after Jack threw him another dubious look, "What? You think shuttle fuel and food 'n shit all pay for themselves?"

"I figured you just acquired those things by sheer force of will, Mr. Badass," Jack said, looking around. "What kind of jobs do you pick up out here, anyway? It's away from everything."

"The extra-legal kind. I know you've been living a sheltered life, but you're not that naive."

"How do you find it?"

"You know someone," Riddick said, stepping forward to work his way through the crowd.

They crossed the room to the back where a grizzly man wearing a utility vest sat alone at a small table.

"Sloane," Riddick said, the growl of his voice cutting through the ambient noise of the bar.

Jack tensed as he felt more than saw several people shift around them, subtly closing them in. He kept one ear on the conversation while working out the quickest paths to the exits.

"Richard B. Riddick," Sloane said, thumping his fist on the table, which caused the drink in front of him to slosh. "Well I'll be god damned. I guess the rumors of your death have been greatly exaggerated, as they say." He smirked. "Bet the bounties on you still stand, though."

"Bet the ones on you do, too," Riddick said with what Jack recognized as the I-dare-you grin Riddick wore when he was at his most dangerous. "And if I remember correctly, you don't need to be breathing for them to collect what's on your head. Assuming your lazy ass could even catch me, you show up at a slam looking to collect, any warden with half a brain'd kill you soon as pay you. What do you say we stop with the bullshit and start talking jobs."

"Same old Riddick. Always straight to the point." Sloane picked up his cup and took a long drink, then said, "Ever hear of a civilized conversation?"

"Civilization's overrated," Riddick said. "Too many lights. Can't see the stars. And it's a long way from here. You have work for us or not?"

"Who's the runt, Dick?" Sloane asked, ignoring the question.

Jack bristled at the insults, but didn't say anything.

Riddick chuckled. "This 'runt' has seen more action than your soft ass ever did. Doesn't go running at the first sign of danger, either."

"You call it running, I call it living to see another day. To-may-to, to-mah-to."

"The job, Sloane."

"Okay, fine," Sloane said leaning back in his chair. "We'll start with something small. I know you're good for it, but I want to see what the runt can do. This poor excuse for a planet has a rock orbiting it that's an even poorer excuse for a moon. Wouldn't be worth anything if it weren't for the breathable atmosphere. There's this pissant who uses said moon as a base of operations. Likes to think he's my rival. I'd send you to kill him, but I'd personally enjoy it more if you helped me embarrass him instead."

"What do you have in mind?" Riddick asked.

"The little shit horned in on a smuggling job I took months to put together and doesn't even know the value of what he has. Artifacts from Old Earth. There's one piece in particular I want you to get back. A statue, looks like this." Sloane reached into a pocket in his vest and pulled out a small disk that he then placed on the table. He flicked a switch on the disk, and a hologram of a statue of a minotaur flickered to life above it. "Bring this back to me, and I'll make it worth your while."

"Done," Riddick said. "Anything else?"

"That'll do it for now," Sloane said with a smirk.

"Good, because I need a drink. Want to call off your dogs?" Riddick said, making a broad gesture that somehow indicated the no-so-hidden guards surrounding them.

\---

"How do you know him?" Jack asked after they got back to the shuttle.

"We were in the service together, but that was a long time ago."

"You were military?" Jack asked.

"Until they kicked me out," Riddick said, with a grin. "Learned how to fly on their dime, though, so it's all good."

"Can we trust him?"

"Who, Sloane? Hell no. But it don't matter as long as we get paid."

\---

They crouched on a barren ridge that looked down on a concrete bunker.

"The time for fifty questions is over. We go in, get the target, and get out. When I say move, you move. Got it?"

Jack nodded.

Riddick said, "This ain't just a test for Sloane. It's a test for me, too. If you're gonna run with me, you have to pull your weight. Otherwise, I'm dropping you the hell back on Helion Prime. Won't be any bullshit about you coming after me. Understood?"

"Understood."

"Good," Riddick said, standing up. "Let's do this."

The job itself was relatively simple--a basic smash and grab. Riddick had gone over the plan in detail during the shuttle trip to the moon. It hinged on the design of the bunker, a prefabricated model common in deep space establishments where resources were thin. They would enter through the exhaust port, find the main office where Sloane had assured them the statue would be kept, and take it. 

"No imagination on that one," Sloane had said. "And he's not big league enough to have much in the way of minions."

It turned out that he had enough to have two guards stationed at the exhaust port. Riddick made a move toward the larger one, clearly intending for Jack to hang back as he fought both guards. Jack, reveling in the chance to show Riddick what he was capable of, quickly took the other one down, all the while marvelling at the mixture of fear and thrill that coursed through him at fighting for real.

"Starfist. Nice," Riddick said as they dragged the unconscious guards out of the sight, and Jack warmed at the respect in his tone. When he stood up to walk back to the exhaust port, he saw that Riddick watching him as if reassessing everything about him.

They made their way through the ventilation system and easily found the main office where the statue sat on a desk. As Jack picked up the statue, he noticed that Riddick face was plastered with a shit-eating grin.

"What?" Jack asked.

"This was too easy," Riddick said. "How about we leave through the front door?"

\---

They crashed into the shuttle in a wave of adrenaline and exhilaration. Jack didn't wait for the shuttle's door to fully close before dropping the statue on a bench and pressing into Riddick to kiss him, mouth hot and open, his tongue seeking entrance to the older man's mouth. Riddick hesitated for only a moment before opening his mouth to return the kiss. Jack nipped Riddick's lower lip, then ceded control of the kiss, allowing himself to get lost in it.

"We have to go," Riddick said as he eventually pulled away from Jack to head to the pilot's chair. Jack watched him for a moment before walking over to his seat and strapping himself in. 

They said nothing as they left the moon's atmosphere. Then Jack asked, "How long has it been?"

Riddick didn't have to ask him what he meant. "Too long," Riddick said, arousal making his voice rumble even lower than usual.

"So put the shuttle on auto, and stop waiting," Jack said, getting up to walk to the narrow bunk in the back of the shuttle. After a moment, he heard Riddick get up from his seat to follow him, and Jack found himself wondering for the first time what Riddick's eyes used to look like.

\---

It was clear the moment they stepped into the bar that something was wrong. The last time they were there, Sloane's men had at least tried to remain hidden, but this time, they were visibly armed and easily seen.

"What's going on Sloane?" Riddick asked without preamble. "I'm smelling a setup."

"I wouldn't call it a setup," Sloane said, "and the only thing I smell is you stinking up the place. Call it a mutually beneficial change of plans. You and your lapdog leave the statue and get the fuck out of here. I let you live."

Jack's movements were fluid as he pulled his knife out of the sheath on his belt, and, with speed of borne endless training and natural grace, placed the business end of the blade against Sloane's throat. As Jack made his move, Riddick spun around, grabbed the gun from the nearest of Sloane's goons, and used the butt of the gun to knock him out.

"This is bullshit," Jack said in a low, dangerous voice. "We're getting paid, asshole."

"Fuck," Sloane gasped as he shifted, causing Jack's knife to draw a sliver of blood.

Sloane's remaining men all had their guns trained on Jack and Riddick, but they hesitated to do anything more.

"You could have your men kill us," Riddick said, "but you know you'll be dead before we will. Looks like you can pay us, or you can die."

"Okay, okay," Sloane rasped. "Just let me get my cred chip."

Riddick arched an eyebrow. "Creds? You gotta be kidding me."

"Who keeps cash in a place like this?" Sloane said, defiant even in the face of his predicament.

"Fine," Riddick said. "Then you won't mind handing over your chip and telling me your access code."

Sloane scowled and gave Riddick his card and interface unit.

"The code, Sloane. We don't have all day. Don't worry. You can change it when we leave."

Riddick entered the code one-handed as Sloane recited it, then entered other information, all the while keeping his gun trained on Sloane. When he was finished, he ejected the chip card, dropped it and the interface on the floor, and smashed them both under his heel.

Jack moved to draw his knife over Sloane's throat, but stopped when he heard Riddick say, "Don't, Jack. Just leave him. We're going."

Jack relaxed his arm and felt Sloane take a deep breath in relief. He bent over and whispered into Sloane's ear.

"Don't think about going after us on the way out," he said. "You wouldn't believe how good I am when it comes to throwing these things."

Jack leaned down to pick up the statue, then moved toward Riddick who covered them both with the stolen gun as they left the bar. Jack held up the statue on his way out the door, saying, "Thanks for the souvenir."

\---

"Why'd you stop me in there?" Jack demanded when they got back to the shuttle, anger thrumming though his voice. "He fucked us! And he's probably back there selling us out right now!"

"Because killing's something you can't come back from," Riddick said.

"So fucking what!" Jack said. "You let people step on you, you'll never get respect. You know that! Hell, you taught me that!"

"Look, Jack. Spend enough time with me, and I know the day will probably come when you'll have to kill someone," Riddick said. "It's just... Not now. And not Sloane. He's not worth it." He paused, then said, "You're better than that."

Jack took a deep breath, and looked out the window. "You don't have to protect me," he said.

"Yes, I do," Riddick said, as he started the launch sequence. "You're the only one I have to protect."

Jack glared at him, both touched and still angry. Then he laughed.

"What?"

"You could have at least let me fuck him up a little," Jack said. "Leave a scar or something."

"Maybe next time," Riddick said with a grin, and Jack smiled at the thought of a next time.

"Where are we going?" he asked sometime later when Terminus was far behind them.

Riddick laughed. "Are you going to ask me that every time we leave a planet?"

"Yes," Jack said.

"Truth is I'm not sure yet," Riddick said, "Wherever it is, it'll take a while, though, because it's going to be far from here. Probably another system. Hope you brought a book or something."

"Teach me how to fly the shuttle," Jack said.

"It takes more than a few lessons to fly this thing," Riddick said.

"What?" Jack replied. "You have some other pressing engagement taking up your time? You don't even know where we're going. If we're going to be aimlessly traveling through space, might as well use the time for something useful."

"What's so useful about that?" Riddick asked. "There's me, and there's the autopilot. We already got redundancy built in."

"It's useful because I'm never going to be stuck planetside again," Jack said, looking at Riddick, then out at the distant stars rushing past in rainbow shifts. "You of all people should understand that."

Silence lingered, and Jack looked back at Riddick to find himself once again on the receiving end of the man's assessing gaze. Riddick's strange, silver eyes flashed before he finally said, "Okay. But I still choose the destinations."

Jack snickered then said, "Oh, and at some point you'll also have to teach me to throw knives. It seems I have a reputation to keep up now."

-End- 

* * *

This is unfortunately unbeta'd, so any mistakes truly are my own.   
  
I had a rather involved backstory worked out for the requested take on Jack, which was him as a transgender character instead of the Kyra character from the second movie. It included why he was traveling in Pitch Black in the first place and his life on Helion Prime. I also had a backstory worked out for the imam's family and Jack's time with them, but I wasn't able to put it all together in time to meet the deadline. I may write up some notes about those ideas and post them to my LJ at some point if anyone's interested.   
  
I enjoyed putting this together, and I hope you enjoyed reading it. The prompt requested an adventure story, and I usually write kind of angsty introspection, so thank you prariestar for pushing me out of what I usually do. Sorry that the sex is only implied, but I'm *really bad* at writing smut. Seriously.

 


End file.
